Do you love big bluegill?

Catch and release?

Hi, I'm new here. Seems like a real nice site. Do you keep most of your catch when you go panfishing? Or do you do catch and release? I'm going tomorrow and really don't feel like cleaning fish so I'll be throwing back. I'm sure I'll be getting nice fish as a result!

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Comment by Ryan McCaw on August 27, 2009 at 5:53pm: I mostly throw back. Sometimes I keep just enough for a meal the next day but never keep the big ones. I wan tot catch those the next year when they have added an inch or two.

Comment by Tobias Jackson Jr. on August 21, 2009 at 7:39am: man I only keep the bluegill when my freezer is not already full of bluegill

Comment by Mike Knowles on August 17, 2009 at 8:53am: I practice "Catch and Release" [C&R] for the simple fact that down here in Florida there is so much pressure on the fish that many of us feel that if we don't practice C&R, we won't have many places to fish in the future. Way too many Florida lakes fisheries have collapsed due to overfishing. Florida has way too liberal a possession/bag limit, no fish management program, no oversight of commercial freshwater fishing and has no active law enforcement on the water. At least in Central Florida, almost any fisherman you see can't tell you the last time they were checked.
On a personal note, another reason I practice C&R is to hopefully increase my opportunities for "bulls" or "copperheads" as we called them down south. What I release today, next year or the following year after, might turn out to be my once in a lifetime trophy.
But let's remember to be understanding to each other, C&R or cooking, we are all part of bigbluegill.com I don't have anything against some cooking up his or her catch.
Mike

Comment by Patrick "Bullworm" Olson on August 14, 2009 at 5:33am: I'm a trophy hunter! I catch and release all gills that do not hit my "wall" measurement of 13 inches now. And that may change from skin mount to reproduction. I set my "trophy size" extremely high to the point of almost impossible. If I want fish to eat I will cut up some crappie and walleye. When I do keep fish it is never a full limit, just what me and Steph can eat which, is about four 12 inch crappies!

Comment by Bruce Condello on August 14, 2009 at 5:19am: Crisco Bay! Love it!

Comment by Mr. LaVern J. Ringle on August 13, 2009 at 10:16pm: I love to catch bluegill. I mostly catch and release, unless the landowners
tells us not to catch and release. Then we will take our catch home with us
and eat them.

Comment by Copperhead John on August 12, 2009 at 8:37am: Catch and release to the chagrin of a few of my Florida Panhandle buddies who think I'm nuts. I take their photos to enjoy forever instead. I mostly fish alone; however, when I fish with others and they want to have a fish fry with brim or specks along with beer, hushpuppies and grits and a little cole slaw, I am first in line to enjoy what I think are the best tasting fish around.

Comment by Charles Singleton on August 12, 2009 at 4:16am: I usually release all mine, but, on a rare occasion, I'll take a few home for a "transplant to Crisco Bay". No better tasting fish than a 'gill.

Comment by Michael Thompson on August 9, 2009 at 7:39pm: Mostly release here, I limit my harvest to 5 or 6 tastey 7 to 8 inch gills when i go for some meat. i can fillet pretty good, so I can get two good meals out of 6 gills, as long as I have a big salad and some sweet corn on the side! :D

Comment by Michael S on August 9, 2009 at 9:27am: Yea, it's nice having camera's on cell phones now. It's really fun to look at your catch later.....when they are back swimming around.